IMUS CITY, Cavite – In a press briefing, Cavite Police announced via online conference that the recent national and local elections on May 9, 2022, in the province were “generally peaceful”.

According to P/Lt. Colonel Norman Rañon, Public Information Officer of Cavite Police Provincial Police Office (CPPO), “In the midst of peaceful elections, a few incidents were recorded while the election was taking place. One, a 72-year-old female senior citizen experiencing difficulty breathing, immediately [collapsed] in Dasmariñas City at around 7:43 in the morning.”

The victim was identified as Erlinda Lachica, 72, jobless, and of Bgy. Sta. Cristina 2, Dasmariñas City, Cavite.

According to Perlita Lachica, the daughter-in-law of the said victim, they were walking and were about to vote in the nearby polling precinct.

The victim was brought to Pagamutan ng Dasmarinas hospital but pronounced dead on arrival on the same date by her attending physician Dr. Darlene Sayos.

While on the election day, some percent experienced a malfunctioning vote-counting machine (VCM) and a vote-buying incident in Naic town on May 7, 2022.

Two individuals were arrested for allegedly buying votes on the eve of elections here in Bgy. Halang on Sunday, May 8.

Lt Col. Resty Soriano, Naic Police chief, identified the suspects as Noelito Mojica Perlas, 48, and Remedios Sierra Tubal, 58, both residents of Bgy. Halang.

Soriano said the suspects were caught in the act of giving money to people and inducing votes for a particular candidate.

Soriano said the police earlier received numerous complaints regarding the rampant vote-buying activities in the area.

Soriano said the suspects were also caught campaigning and handing election paraphernalia of a mayoral candidate to the people even though the campaign period had lapsed on Saturday.

Confiscated from them were 50 pieces of white envelopes containing P500 each, several sample ballots, lists of cluster leaders, and several election/campaign materials.

The suspects are now in the custody of Naic Municipal Police Station for investigation.

The CPPO arrested 49 individuals who were apprehended at checkpoints in strategic areas in the province and charged with violation of the gun ban and Republic Act 10591 (the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition).

Around 54 firearms and ammunition were seized by the authorities at the said checkpoint, mainly in the control point of the province.

The Comelec (Commission on Elections) gun ban is among the prohibitions implemented during the election period from January 9 to June 8 this year, in relation to the May 9 national and local polls. By DENNIS ABRINA